1954 - 1972 Malaysia & The Vietnam War

1954 - 1972 Malaysia and the Vietnam War (AW-06-1208-7).
1954
July
Jerusalem
In 1954 two officers were seconded to the United Nations Truce Supervisory Organisation (UNTSO) in the Middle East.
1956
23 January
Malaya
The specially raised 133-man New Zealand Special Air Service Squadron commenced active service operations in Malaysia. It had been formed the previous year and was attached to the British 22nd Special Air Service Regiment as part of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve for the Malayan Emergency.
1956
September
Australia
Three New Zealand Army officers were present as observers at the atomic bomb trials held at Maralinga in Australia.
1956
15 November
New Zealand
A recruiting campaign for a special force to serve with the United Nations in the Suez Canal area received 907 applications. The force was not sent.
1957
27 July
South Korea
The last Kayforce (transport platoon) was withdrawn from Korea.
1957
December
Singapore
The 1st Battalion, The New Zealand Regiment, arrived in Singapore in December 1957 and replaced the NZSAS Squadron, which returned home and was disbanded.
1958
10 March
Malaya
The 1st Battalion, The New Zealand Regiment commenced active service operations in Malaya on 10 March 1958.
1958
July
New Zealand
The Compulsory Military Training scheme was abolished in early 1958 after 63,661 territorials had been trained. The final basic training intake finished in July 1958.
1960
February
Malaya
The 2nd Battalion, The New Zealand Regiment commenced active service operations in February 1960 on the Thai-Malay border.
1960
31 July
Malaya
The Malayan Emergency officially ended on 31 July, 1960. New Zealand infantry battalions served in the area for many years; the latter of which were spent in Singapore.
1960
The Congo
Two New Zealand Army officers were seconded to the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC) when it was set up in 1960.
1962
May 10
New Zealand
The first intake of the newly instituted National Service Training Scheme marched in for training on 10 May 1962. Approximately 3000 young men were selected annually by ballot and served compulsorily on a part-time basis for three years as territorials.
1963
1-30 November
Malaysia
The 1st New Zealand Regiment moved into Terendak Camp. A total of 727 service people and 169 dependants were involved in the move.
1964
New Zealand
The Army was reorganised to fit the country’s commitment to the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation. This resulted in the formation of a Combat Brigade Group, a Logistic Support Group, and a Reserve Combat Brigade Group. Territorial and Regular arms of the Service were amalgamated, with the Regular Force having an approved establishment ceiling of 6250 and the Territorial Force 11,000.
1964
29 June
South Vietnam
The New Zealand Aid Detachment of 21 men of the Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers and a three-man headquarters arrived in Saigon for service in South Vietnam.
1964
6 July
South Vietnam
The New Zealand Aid Detachment moved from Saigon to Thu Dau Mot, the capital of Bin Duong province. The engineers were employed on bridge building, road construction, and building construction tasks around Thu Dau Mot.
1964
6 September – 30 October
Malaysia
The 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, as part of the 28th Commonwealth Brigade, took part in active service operations in peninsular Malaysia in the early stages of the “Confrontation” between Indonesia and Malaysia.
1965
February
Borneo
In February 1965 the first of four separate New Zealand Special Air Service detachments were deployed from New Zealand to Borneo for active service during “Confrontation”. They served under the operational control of the British 22nd Special Air Service Regiment.
1965
10 May
South Vietnam
On 10 May 1965 the South Vietnamese Government requested combatant troop support from New Zealand.
1965
July
South Vietnam
The New Zealand Aid Detachment moved from Thu Dau Mot to Bien Hoa in July 1965.
1965
21 July
South Vietnam
The detachment of engineers stationed at Bien Hoa returned to New Zealand and was disbanded on 21 July 1965.
1965
July
South Vietnam
In July 1965 the 161st Battery, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery, consisting of nine officers and 101 other ranks, arrived in South Vietnam and was placed under command of the United States Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade at Bien Hoa near Saigon.
1966
June
South Vietnam
The 161st Battery, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery was reassigned to the 1st Australian Task Force at Nui Dat in Phouc Tuy Province. Until the battery’s withdrawal from Vietnam in May 1971 it served with Royal Australian Artillery field regiments in support of Australian and New Zealand infantry units.
1967
May
South Vietnam
In May 1967 New Zealand’s combat strength in South Vietnam was increased with the arrival of a 182-man infantry element, Victor One Company, from the 1st Battalion RNZIR.
1967
May
South Vietnam
In May 1967 a New Zealand Services’ Medical Team was deployed into Binh Dinh Province. The 19-strong tri-Service team served in South Vietnam until being withdrawn in December 1971. By June 1969, working out of the 100-bed Bong Son Impact Hospital, the team’s bed state was averaging 92 and they were treating an average of 46,000 outpatients annually.
1967
December
South Vietnam
In December 1967 Whiskey One rifle company arrived in South Vietnam and together with Victor One, formed part of an ANZAC infantry battalion. The two companies were replaced several times.
1970
October
South Vietnam
In October 1970, the 1st New Zealand Army Training Team arrived in Vietnam and was based at Chi Lang near the Cambodian border. The 25-man team trained about 8000 platoon commanders and junior leaders from Vietnamese regional units in the use of small arms and minor tactics.
1971
December
South Vietnam
The sixth Victor Company of the ANZAC Battalion was withdrawn without replacement in December 1971.
1972
February
South Vietnam
The 2nd New Zealand Army Training Team arrived in South Vietnam in mid-February 1972 and was attached to a United States Army Training Team at Dong Ba Thin near Cam Ranh Bay.
1972
5 March
South Vietnam
The 2nd New Zealand Army Training Team commenced operations on 5 March 1972. The 18-man team helped to train 12 Cambodian Army infantry battalions.
1972
October
Antarctica
During the summer months of 1972 the New Zealand Army provided 50 soldiers for cargo-handling duties in support of the United States Navy’s Antarctic Operation DEEP FREEZE. The cargo-handlers were employed in Christchurch and in Antarctica. New Zealand Army support has been ongoing since this time.
1972
22 December.
South Vietnam
On 22 December 1972 the last New Zealand Army elements comprising the two training teams and the “V” Force headquarters, which had been based in Saigon since June 1964, were withdrawn from South Vietnam and returned to New Zealand. About 3890 soldiers (all of whom were volunteers) served in South Vietnam. Of these 35 five died on active service and a further 187 were wounded.

This page was last reviewed on 19 December 2008 and is current.

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